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A Long Trek to an Ancient Tree on FIELD GUIDE, Airs June 3

Join the FIELD GUIDE crew on a three-day journey deep into the Eagle Cap Wilderness in search of a truly ancient tree. Discovered recently on a dangerously steep slope in the Wallowa Mountains, it could be among the oldest trees in Oregon – and it’s still alive. Tune in to the stations of Oregon Public Broadcasting on Thursday, June 3 at 8:30pm. Also a look at the impact of ethanol on boat engines and how forest surveyors do their jobs.

Ancient Tree - An avid hiker discovered a gnarled limber pine on one of his backpacking adventures several years ago. Fascinated by the prospect it could be thousands of years old, he invited FIELD GUIDE along on an arduous trek to visit the monarch. Accompanied by several experts who would take core samples to try and determine the tree’s age, they scramble up a 2,000-foot slope where they find the squat giant clinging to a bed of limestone. All agree it’s a humbling experience to be in the presence of a living thing that grew on these slopes even before the time of Genghis Khan.

Ethanol - On the Columbia River, boat engine trouble can be fatal. Clogged fuel lines seem to be more common than fish these days and boat owners point to gasoline containing ethanol as the culprit. The fuel is especially hard on boat engines. It eats through hoses and clogs fuel lines. There are some measures that can be taken and now the Oregon legislature is stepping in to ease some fuel requirements.

Forest Surveyors - Every square mile of Oregon has been walked, staked and surveyed at one time. The original land surveyors passed through in the 1850’s on pack mules and stayed out for months at a time. You’d think today’s surveyors would have it easier, but this is still a tough job that requires a love of bushwacking and exceptional navigation skills.

FIELD GUIDE repeats Sundays at 2:30am and 6:30pm. Full episodes of FIELD GUIDE are available at watch.opb.org. Videos of the stories featured on FIELD GUIDE are available at opb.org/programs/ofg/

About OREGON FIELD GUIDEIn its 21st season, OREGON FIELD GUIDE remains a valuable source of information about outdoor recreation, ecological issues, natural resources and travel destinations. OREGON FIELD GUIDE airs Thursday evenings at 8:30pm on the television stations of Oregon Public Broadcasting and repeats on Sunday evenings at 6:30pm. In the Mountain Time zone of Eastern Oregon, the program airs at 9:30pm Thursdays, and at 7:30pm Sundays.

About OPBOPB is the largest cultural and education institution in the region, delivering excellence in public broadcasting to 1.5 million people each week through television, radio and the Internet. Widely recognized as a national leader in the public broadcasting arena, OPB is a major contributor to the program schedule that serves the entire country. OPB is one of the most-used and most-supported public broadcasting services in the country and is generously supported by 120,000 contributors. opb.org